Home Energy Magazine's Discussions

Amy Beley started the Women in Home Performance initiative because she saw a need. Our industry is still small, and trying to find the tipping point. We need to be working better together, and…Continue

Have you experienced a haunted attic or crawl space that had a will of its own? Do tell! In a special evening session on Wednesday, May 6 at the 2015 ACI National Home Performance Conference in New…Continue

"Amy, if there is a need or possibility for a meeting of the Wonman in Home Performance group, we could accomodate it at the EEBA (Energy and Environmental Building Alliance) Conference October 6-8th, Denver, CO at the Marriott Tech Center. We have…"

At the ACI National Conference this year, I was remiss that there was no official presence of Women in Home Performance. What I found encouraging was that people noticed and asked for more. So, with the gracious assistance of long time supporter Macie Melendez of Home Energy magazine, we’re back! Macie and I will be interviewing women in the industry in a blog series, The Real Women of Home Performance, which will…See More

At the ACI National Conference this year, I was remiss that there was no official presence of Women in Home Performance. What I found encouraging was that people noticed and asked for more. So, with the gracious assistance of long time supporter Macie Melendez of Home Energy magazine, we’re back! Macie and I will be interviewing women in the industry in a blog series, The Real Women of Home Performance, which will…See More

By now you are probably aware of California’s drought. But other states are experiencing droughts—and where there aren’t droughts, there are probably floods. Water and energy consumption are becoming more and more closely connected, and the situation is not likely to improve. Here are some of the ways our clients experience these connections in their homes.Money. Most people pay for water and sewage…See More

By now you are probably aware of California’s drought. But other states are experiencing droughts—and where there aren’t droughts, there are probably floods. Water and energy consumption are becoming more and more closely connected, and the situation is not likely to improve. Here are some of the ways our clients experience these connections in their homes.Money. Most people pay for water and sewage…See More

For those not familiar with “Ching books”, they’re essentially the gold standard for visual architecture reference and aid in the design process. Architect Francis D.K. Ching’s series of textbook-size volumes go through conceptual to intimate detail of design and construction for both novice and professionals alike. They’re commonly noted as the best and easiest-to-understand references for design professionals and…See More

For those not familiar with “Ching books”, they’re essentially the gold standard for visual architecture reference and aid in the design process. Architect Francis D.K. Ching’s series of textbook-size volumes go through conceptual to intimate detail of design and construction for both novice and professionals alike. They’re commonly noted as the best and easiest-to-understand references for design professionals and…See More

"Alan, similar to cars going all-electric, removing combustion appliances from homes is inevitable. A few thoughts:
Bringing the NACH down and reducing infiltration is significantly easier if there are no chimneys or other vents for combustion…"

"As we move toward more and more renewable energy in the grid, storage will be a key issue. The biggest challenge is providing renewable energy in winter, when solar energy is lowest. Not coincidentally, that's also when heating demand is…"

I must admit that I am still having trouble getting my head around this idea. But the arithmetic is fairly simple: an 80% reduction in carbon emissions simply can’t be achieved without drastic cutbacks in residential natural gas use. In the residential sector, natural gas burned on site is responsible for about one quarter of carbon emissions. We can use carbon-free electricity generated by wind and…See More

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At the ACI National Conference this year, I was remiss that there was no official presence of Women in Home Performance. What I found encouraging was that people noticed and asked for more. So, with the gracious assistance of long time supporter Macie Melendez of Home Energy magazine, we’re back! Macie and I will be interviewing women in the industry in a blog series, The Real Women of…

By now you are probably aware of California’s drought. But other states are experiencing droughts—and where there aren’t droughts, there are probably floods. Water and energy consumption are becoming more and more closely connected, and the situation is not likely to improve. Here are some of the ways our clients experience these connections in their homes.…

For those not familiar with “Ching books”, they’re essentially the gold standard for visual architecture reference and aid in the design process. Architect Francis D.K. Ching’s series of textbook-size volumes go through conceptual to intimate detail of design and construction for both novice and professionals alike. They’re commonly noted as the best and easiest-to-understand references for design…

I must admit that I am still having trouble getting my head around this idea. But the arithmetic is fairly simple: an 80% reduction in carbon emissions simply can’t be achieved without drastic cutbacks in residential natural gas use. In the residential sector, natural gas burned on site is responsible for about one quarter of carbon emissions. We can use carbon-free electricity generated…